Optically anisotropic films are widely used either by themselves or in conjunction with other films as a phase difference film, viewing angle-compensating film, color-compensating film, or elliptical polarization film. For example, an optically anisotropic film has been widely used as a viewing angle-compensating film for widening a viewing angle of a liquid crystal display, where the optically anisotropic film comprises a support film and a liquid crystal film of a rod-shaped nematic liquid crystal compound deposited on the support film in a nematic hybrid alignment. As used herein, the term “nematic hybrid alignment” refers to an arrangement of liquid crystal molecules in which nematic liquid crystal molecules are nematically aligned and the angle that the director of the nematic liquid crystal molecules makes with the film surface gradually increases from the lower surface to the upper surface (toward the interface with air).
Liquid crystal films with such a nematic hybrid alignment can be fabricated in the following manner: An optically alignment film is deposited on a vertically aligned base and a rod-shaped polymerizable homeotropic nematic liquid crystal compound is applied over the optically alignment film. Heat is then applied to cause the liquid crystal molecules to align in the nematic hybrid alignment. Subsequently, the film is exposed to light to cure the photopolymerizable nematic liquid crystal composition and, thus, fix the nematic hybrid alignment (Patent Documents 1, 2, and 3). Such liquid crystal films can also be fabricated in the following manner: A solution of a nematic liquid crystal material of a certain structure is applied onto a support with no alignment film deposited on it. The coated support is heat-dried to cause the liquid crystal molecules to align in the nematic hybrid alignment. Alternatively, the support may further be heated after the first heat-drying to cause the liquid crystal molecules to align in the nematic hybrid alignment. The resulting film is exposed to light to cure the photopolymerizable nematic liquid crystal composition and, thus, fix the nematic hybrid alignment (Patent Document 4).    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-214610    Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-98134    Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-251643    Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-55573